With governments working towards requiring pain relief for mulesed lambs, the industry has developed safe, effective and cheap alternatives to help lambs recover in a broad-scale paddock environment.

Pioneering work includes the development of pain management products that are likely to revolutionise the way farm animals are managed the world over. Dr Meredith Sheil, who treats surgical and trauma wounds in children and also grazes sheep on her property in the Central West of New South Wales, has developed a pain relief product for lambs after accusations of cruelty were levelled against Australian producers by foreign animal welfare groups.  

According to Dr Neil Cooper, Bayer Animal Health Technical Veterinarian, “Australian woolgrowers need access to the best resources to maintain and grow important markets for Australian wool.” 

Veterinarians are well-placed to advise producers on the range of available options. These include addressing pain relief, blood loss, healing, mobility, mothering-up and feeding. They are also valuable advisers on nutrition, weaning and parasite control.

Currently in Australia, more than 20 million lambs a year undergo mulesing. Although mulesing is performed for long-term health benefits, it is a traumatic procedure that does cause pain, stress and weight loss in animals. Recent research indicates that more than 76% of those woolgrowers surveyed said they would definitely use or consider using pain relief at mulesing if available. (Source: Bayer Animal Health (n=401, confidence interval /- 4.85%)

Woolgrower research also showed that preventing pain, reducing blood loss, and promoting wound healing were as important as preventing flystrike.

“There are options to help solve the problems faced by lamb producers,” said Dr Cooper. “In particular, with no alternative to mulesing in sight, we must embrace the choices so we can continue the vital procedure and satisfy retailers.”

In the future, solutions developed for lambs may also be used to relieve pain during other procedures, such as de-sexing in sheep and pigs and de-horning in cattle.

“Bayer is in the business of developing science for a better life and we are supporting Australian initiatives to provide pain relief in large farm animals,” said Dr Cooper. “Bayer recognises that farm animals feel pain in processes such as mulesing. We are proud to support Australian solutions that we can further develop locally and take to the world.”